The perfumes of the nineties are set to make a comeback this Christmas with retailers predicting that the top five sellers will be retro fragrances.
Fragrances from over 20 years ago have made a huge comeback and bizarrely several of the top fragrances from the 1950s are all performing well this year.
Three of the top five UK fragrances predicted for Christmas are all vintage scents – Angel by Thierry Mugler, L’eau d’Issey by Issey Miyake, Daisy by Marc Jacobs, Alien by Thierry Mugler and Obsession by Calvin Klein – and perfume retailers have seen a huge shift in customers looking to buy re-branded classic designer fragrances from the 90s.
Even perfumes from as far back as the 1950s are making a comeback, and while they’re outside the top ten scents such as Shalimar, L’Air du Temps by Nina Ricci and Miss Dior are still performing strongly.
Angel by Thierry Mugler, the top seller this year, was released in back in 1994, the same year when Wet Wet Wet topped the charts with Love Is All Around, the theme tune to hit film Four Weddings and a Funeral which starred Hugh Grant.
The top five predicted bestselling fragrances for Christmas 2017 are all vintage scents: Angel by Thierry Mugler, L’eau d’Issey by Issey Miyake, Daisy by Marc Jacobs, Alien by Thierry Mugler and Obsession by Calvin Klein
Although not in the top ten, these 1950s scents are still selling well today: Soir de Paris by Bourjois, Miss Dior by Dior, Shalimar by Guerlain, Youth Dew by Elizabeth Arden and L’Air du Temps by Nina Ricci
The overall top selling perfumes of the 2010s revealed: Si by Giorio Armani, Lady Million by Paco Rabanne, Paco Rabanne Olympea, My Burberry by Burberry and Black Opium by Yves Saint Laurent
These are the fragrances shoppers splashed out on in the noughties: Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel, J’adore by Dior, Thierry Mugler Alien, Jo Malone Lime, Basil & Mandarin and Daisy by Marc Jacobs
It’s also the same years as the first democratic election took place in South Africa, Nirvana singer Kurt Cobain committed suicide and One Direction star Harry Styles was born.
Eau d’Issy by Issey Miyake from 1991 featured second on the list and third was Marc Jacobs, Daisy, which is now ten years old.
Alien by Thierry Mugler from 2005 was also in the top five and Calvin Klien’s Obsession, from 1985, has had a return to popularity after previously unseen 90s pictures of Kate Moss were revealed at the launch of companion fragrance Obsessed this year.
Dating back even further L’Air du Temps by Nina Ricci was released in 1948 and sold in huge numbers in the 1950s, thanks to the famous kissing doves bottle stopper becoming a design classic, and is still performing strongly today.
Youth Dew by Elizabeth Arden from 1953 was originally sold as a bath oil. It then sold more than 250 million bottles as a fragrance and is still going strong in a repackaged bottle.
Top 10 Premium Perfume Sellers Predicted for 2017
Perfume
1. Angel by Thierry Mugler Eau de Parfum: First released in 1994
2. L’eau d’Issey by Issey Miyake Eau de Parfum: First released in 1991
3. Daisy by Marc Jacobs Eau de Toilette: First released in 2007
4. Alien by Thierry Mugler Eau de Toilette: First released in 2005
5. Obsession by Calvin Klein Eau de Parfum: First released in 1985
6. J’adore by Dior 30ml Eau de Parfum: First released in 2006
7. Chanel No 5 Eau De Toilette: Tweaked from the original 1921
8. Lady Million by Paco Rabanne Eau de Parfum: First released in 2010
9. Si by Georgio Armani Eau de Toilette: First released in 2013
10. Black Opium by Yves Saint Laurent: First released in 2014 as a modern re-make of the classic 1977 scent.
Smells like
Bergamot, and sweet red fruits, vanilla, caramel and patchouli, combined with rich chocolate and patchouli.
Aquatic notes suffused with plush flower petals, such as rose, lotus and lily.
Top notes of fruity wild strawberry violet leaves and ruby red grapefruit balanced with vanilla and musk.
A lighter version of the original Alien fragrance with white amber, Moroccan jasmine and cashmeran wood.
A powerfully sensual fragrance, combining mandarin, orange and vanilla with spices, sandalwood and jasmine.
A fresh accord of bergamot, opens into a vibrant armful of roses with a delicate jasmine drydown.
A powdery floral bouquet composed around May rose and jasmine with bright citrus top notes.
Vibrant raspberry and bitter orange with voluptuous orange blossom, neroli and Arabian jasmine.
Sparkling notes of pear, mandarin and blackcurrant sorbet create a truly fruity chypre.
Hedonistic coffee notes with a sensual dusting of jasmine tea, combined with white musk and white wood.
AND THE 50’s FRAGRANCES THAT ARE STILL IN HIGH DEMAND…
Perfume
L’Air du Temps by Nina Ricci: First released in 1948 and sold in huge numbers in the 1950s
Miss Dior by Christian Dior: First released in 1947 and sold well after the war when lighter perfumes became popular
Youth Dew by Estée Lauder: First released in 1953 as a bath oil
Shalimar by Guerlain: A hit of the ’50s first released in 1925 in an iconic bottle, which has hardly changed since
Soir de Paris by Bourjois: First released in 1950 and was a huge hit with teenagers
Smells like
A fresh and timeless fragrance blending bergamot, peach and carnation with rose and jamsine.
A floral and feminine heart boasts Indian and Egyptian Jasmine Absolute with Essence of Damask Rose.
Opulent flowers, rich spices, precious woods makes this one of the most sensual fragrances of all time.
An oriental-inspired fragrance that’s voluptuous and sensual, with powdery notes of iris, jasmine and rose.
An amber, floral and spicy scent that’s been give a modern twist with additional base notes of cedarwood and vanilla.
Shalimar was first released in 1925, but became widely popular in the 1950s. Left: A vintage magazine ad from 1953. Right: A Shalimar ad from the 1960s, which described the fragrance as the ‘international symbol of elegance’
And vintage scents dating back as far as the 1920s have experienced a surge in popularity, including Arpege by Lanvin (1927), Joy by Jean Patou (1929) and Shalimar by Guerlain (1929).
Chanel No 5 still expected to be in the top ten this Christmas, even though the aroma has been tweaked slightly since being worn my Marylin Monroe in the 50’s.
Last year’s top seller was Coco Mademoiselle, following a huge campaign with actress and model, Keira Knightley, but this year sees customers turn their noses to more nostalgic smells.
In the ’90s, these were the top selling scents: CK ONE by Calvin Klein, L’eau d’Issey by Issey Miyake, Angel by Thierry Mugler, Jean Paul Gaultier Classique Intense and Tommy Hilfiger Tommy, the one men’s scent to make the bestseller list
Smell of the 1980s: Giorgio Beverly Hills, Poison by Dior, Obsession by Calvin Klein, Lou Lou by Cacharel and Eau Dynamisante by Clarins
Charlie by Revlon, Rive Gauche by YSL, Opium by Yves Saint Laurent, Anais Anais by Cacharel and Diorella by Christian Dior
The Christmas fragrance market is expected to grow to a huge £424 million this year as the shoppers are predicted to get their presents well before December.
Rakesh Aggarwal, from online beauty retailer Escentual.com said: ‘Over 100 new fragrances have been launched this year in the beauty industry but we are finding that sales so far this year are concentrating around classic heritage scents from the 90s and noughties in particular.
‘The scents from the 90s have aged well because they were subtle and fresh scents and can be worn day or night, and so they have not dated to a younger audience.’
The top seleling scents of the ’60s: L’Interdit by Givenchy, Chamade by Guerlain, Oh! De London by Tuvache, Unforgettable by Avon, Y by Yves Saint Laurent
L’Air du Temps by Nina Ricci, Miss Dior by Christian Dior, Shalimar by Guerlain, Youth Dew by Estee Lauder and Soir de Paris by Bourjois